Take It Out On Me
by TheYumeTsumetai
Summary: Rima has never had independence, not since that day. When she finally gets some, it ended up being much more than she could handle. In a world where every shadow can hurt and everyone is an enemy, who will be her salvation?
1. 1: Requesting Freedom

"But, Mama…"

"No buts, Rima! Remember the last time you walked home alone?"

14-year old Rima Mashiro was in the living room of her house, trying to convince her mother to let her walk home alone. Many teens her age wouldn't be having this issue. But many teens her age were never kidnapped when they were younger.

When she was still in elementary school, Rima would walk home from school. This was a happier time for her. Her parents were still happy and she would always make them laugh. But one day, her happiness was stolen from her. Those men took her while she was walking home but she was able to escape. After that day, everything was different. Her mama and papa, as she would call them, would fight over whose fault it was that she was kidnapped. She could no longer make them laugh. Childish things like her jokes were tossed aside like dirt. But Rima wanted this to change.

"Mama, I'll be fine. I will walk with my friend, Amu."

Amu Hinamori, age 14, was Rima's best friend. They've known each other since they were in 5th grade. Back in elementary, Amu still had her outer personality as her main personality. She was "Cool and Spicy! Amu Hinamori". No one was able to see through it until Rima came along. Rima moved to Seiyo and enrolled in Seiyo Elementary. At first, she thought Amu was foolish for smiling when her smiles were fake. But Amu wasn't that different from her, was she?

"I'm not so sure about that Hinamori girl. I've heard things about her-"

"What _kinds_ of things, Mama?" Rima glared at her mother.

Rima was extremely protective of Amu. Amu was there when no one else was. She hated these rumors of Amu being evil or heartless just because she had an attitude. No one knew the real Amu because so far, no one had the right to know.

"Big things, Rima, big things you should be aware of. I've heard she was kicked out of her old school for hospitalizing someone. I hear she threatens her own parents. There's something wro-"

Rima's mother was cut off again, this time by the sound of the door slamming open.

"Kaen, you should listen to Rima." Rima's mother narrowed her eyes.

"This is none of your business, Kou."

"Rima is my daughter as well. It is very much my business."

"I care about her. You care more about you work!"

"My Rima is the most important thing in my life!"

"Yeah, that explains why you let her get kidnapped!"

"That wasn't my fault! If you hadn't been busy with your job, it would have never happened!"

Rima watched in horror as her parents fought. They were always like this. They always fought about who let her get kidnapped. She hated it. It wasn't anyone's fault except her kidnapper. Why can't they get it through their heads?

"SHUT UP!"

These two words from a short little girl silenced the fighting.

"Rima…" her parents said at the same time.

"Both of you. Please. Stop fighting", Rima whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. Kaen and Kou weren't sure what to do. Rima never cried while they fought. She always remained passive. Or did she?

Kaen looked at Kou. Kou stared at Kaen. What happened to them? They used to be so happy together. They looked at Rima's crying figure at the same time. Rima will always be their top priority but for the past 7 years or so, she wasn't. Their arguing was.

They always fought and in front of Rima, too. Their daughter was still strong after she was kidnapped but they were slowly weakening her with their fighting. Why are they fighting when they should be making sure Rima is happy and healthy? After all, Rima's happiness and well-being are what matters most right.

Kaen and Kou looked at each other again and for the first time in about 7 years, they smiled.

"Rima", Kaen cooed," Don't cry, baby. We're not fighting anymore. It's all okay. It's okay." Rima looked up at her mother with her honey eyes glistening with crystal tears. "See, we aren't fighting." Most teens her age would be annoyed if their parents spoke to them like they were babies. But for years, Rima hasn't had this. Rima yearned to be a child again. After alternating between staring and her mom then her dad for awhile, Rima finally spoke.

"No…fighting?" she spoke carefully and quietly, thinking if she spoke normally, the scene of her parents not fighting would shatter like glass. No, this had to be carefully preserved.

"No, honey. We're not fighting. There's no more fighting," Kou said to her, pools of unshed tears beginning to form in his eyes. He looked at Kaen once more. She was trying not to cry either. "There will be no more fighting about that. It's all in the past."

Rima was at a loss for words. They were actually not fighting. It's been years since this happened. Of course, Rima remember every moment when they wouldn't fight. Whether it was just because they weren't speaking or they were speaking to someone else, any time they wouldn't fight was precious to her. Now, her father is telling her they wouldn't fight. After 7 years of constant arguments, she didn't know whether she should believe that this is happening or try to wake up from the dream that would never actually come true. All this news was too much for Rima.

"Rima! Rima! Hello? Are you there?" Rima began to sit up, feeling extremely dizzy. The last thing she remembered was darkness. Her vision was blurred but becoming cleared as she opened her eyes. "Rima! Are you alright?"

"Mama?" Rima asked weakly.

"Yes, baby, I'm here. Are you okay?" Kaen answered, her eyes flashing with worry. Rima nodded slowly, trying not to get any more nauseous than she already is. Kaen and Kou sighed in relief. "Rima, you don't know how worried we were." Rima was shocked. Then the memories filled her head. Her eyes widened.

"So it's true?"

"What's true?"

"What you told me, papa. That you won't fight." Honestly, Rima feared the answer as much as she anticipated it. It seemed like hours before he answered.

"Yes, Rima. We won't fight." Tears began to fill Rima's eyes. After 7 long years, it was finally over. The fighting was done. Her wish was finally granted. Kaen saw Rima's tears of joy and smiled.

"There's another thing, Rima," Kaen said happily. Rima tilted her head in a very cute manner.

"What's that, Mama?" What else could there be? This is the happiest day of my life, Rima thought to herself.

Kaen and Kou looked at each other, then at Rima, and smiled.

"You can walk home with Amu," they said together.

They didn't know it yet, but this one sentence will change Rima's life very soon.

**This is the first chapter of Take It Out On Me. I hope you enjoyed it. All reviews are appreciated, including flames. **

**I'm going to always put the disclaimer in the end of the chapter so here I go.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and the names of Rima's parents. I don't even own Rima's parents. Only their names.**


	2. 2: The Demon Inside Shows Herself

**Yume: Hey, g-*Gets pelted by pebbles* ALRIGHT. I KNOW THAT I TOOK FOREVER TO UPDATE BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO THROW ROCKS.**

**Yuki: They're pebbles. Difference. **

**Yume: Don't be such an idiot…**

**Yuki: Can't help it.**

**Yume: Tsk. Whatever. Anyways, I am so sorry that I never updated! I was so busy with school and when summer started, stuff happened. But I am back with the longest chapter I've ever written. Somewhat of an apology for the long wait. It's not extremely long but I'm proud. **

**Yuki: Alright! Let's get this story started! **

**Yume: OH! Before I forget, I have to say thanks to xoJaadiexo, xLunar, iRawr, ZanyAnimeGirl, and Hala at u 4ever for reviewing! NOW, START THE STORY!**

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><p>The next morning, Rima woke up to bright sunlight and the smell of bacon. She jumped up and out of bed, thinking she was no longer home. She looked around the room and saw that it was really her room. <em>'Alright… 'she<em> thought. She carefully snuck out of her bedroom and down the stairs. The floorboards creaked as she crossed the room into the kitchen. There in the kitchen was a sight Rima could not believe was real.

Her mom was in front of the stove, cooking bacon and eggs while humming to herself. Her dad was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. Both of them were smiling and most importantly, _not fighting_.

"Oh, Rima, I didn't notice you were awake. I was going to wake you up for school as soon as I was done cooking breakfast," Kaen said, the smile never leaving her face. She scooped up some eggs, took two pieces of bacon and toast and passed the plate to Rima. "Here you go, dear."

"Umm… Thanks, Mama," Rima said uncertainly. She took a seat next to her dad and began eating, enjoying the calm silence.

"Well, I have to go to work now. Bye, Rima. Bye, dear," Kou said, standing up. He pecked Rima on the cheek and gave Kaen a quick kiss on the mouth. "See you both after work."

Rima's mouth dropped as she saw her mom blush like a young school girl. '_So, yesterday DID happen,_' Rima thought. She noticed the time and quickly ate the rest of her food before running to her room to get ready.

After taking a quick shower and brushing her teeth, Rima walked into her bedroom, leaned against the closed door, and slid down. "Wow. That was unexpected," Rima muttered. She closed her eyes, smiled a little, and got up to put on her school uniform.

Still being part of Seiyo, though the junior high part, Rima's uniform was almost exactly the same as her uniform in elementary school. Her uniform consisted of a white, short-sleeved blouse with a huge red collar. The sleeves had red cuffs and she had to wear a ridiculously large red bow. The shirt was supposed to end about two inches below her navel, but seeing as she was really short for a 14 year old, 4'10", it ended half a foot below it instead. She had a red plaid skirt that ended at her knees. Though unnecessary, she wore white stockings. Lastly, she wore the black, shiny dress shoes that were part of the uniform. Her thick, curly blonde hair was in a dark purple headband. All in all, they made her look adorable. Too adorable for a 14 year old.

Rima sighed. "Another boring day in school. Well, at least, I can walk home with Amu now," Rima said to herself. She grabbed her bag and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. "MAMA, I'M GOING!"

"Alright, Rima, just be safe" is what Rima heard right before zooming out. Kaen sighed. "Rima, don't get hurt… Physically or emotionally."

XXx_In Seiyo Academy_xXx

"Amu! AMU!" Rima called her friend from across the school yard. How such a little girl could possess such a strong voice, no one would ever know.

"Ahh, Rima. Good morning!" Amu said with a smile. Amu was Rima's "bad-girl" best friend. She was wearing the same uniform as Rima but made it more "Amu-ish". She wore a black cropped blazer over her blouse and there were large pins pinned to her blazer's collar that said things like "Breaking Hearts is Easier than Breaking Necks" and "Mystery Adds to the Intrigue". There was also one that said "Strawberry-Head". Rima always wondered about that one. Her red skirt was a bit darker than the actual skirt. Around the waistband of her skirt, she wore a thin chain and a thin black belt with silver studs. Like Rima, she wore the black dress shoes but instead of stockings, she wore red and black striped knee socks. Her bag had small chains and locks hanging from it. Her bubblegum pink hair was partially up in a high ponytail with a black "X" clip holding it in place.

"Amu, guess what?" Rima asked her joyfully.

"Gosh, Rima. You seem psyched. What happened?" Amu responded with a tight smile.

Rima didn't notice it because she was much too happy. "My mom and dad are letting me walk home with you every day!"

"Oh, err, that's great, Rima!" Amu said uncertainly.

"Amu? Is there something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. We just might be late to class. I don't want to get Nikaidou's attention."

Rima giggled. "You always get his attention, Hi-ma-mo-ri."

"Rima!" Amu yelled in mock anger. She began to ruffle her hair.

"AMU! DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR!" Rima shrieked. The two continued their little play-fight until they heard a cough.

"Mashiro, Himamori, shouldn't you get to class?" There standing right behind them was their teacher, Yuu Nikaidou. He was a clumsy man with messy light brown hair and oval glasses.

"Sensei, it's Hi_na_mori," Amu said, stressing the "na" in her name.

"Yeah, yeah, Himamori. Well, you two better get to class. You'll be late in 3 minutes."

"But, Nikaidou-sensei, aren't you going to be late too?" Rima asked politely.

Nikaidou stared at the sky for a couple of seconds before jumping and yelling, "I'M GONNA BE LATE!" and grabbing Amu and Rima by the wrists. Then he dashed on to the classroom with Amu and Rima in tow.

"Rima?"

"Yeah, Amu?"

"How did we get stuck with this nutcase?"

"I don't know, Amu. I just don't know…"

In about half a minute, Nikaidou managed to run across the entire entrance, past the Gym field, and up to their 4th floor classroom. When he finally stopped and let go of the two, Rima and Amu began swaying dizzily from the speed he was going at. "I think I'm gonna be sick," Amu muttered.

"Well, let's go in before we're late," Nikaidou said happily, obviously unaffected from the long and fast run. He skipped into the classroom with two girls following, both mumbling something along the lines of "Stupid teacher…"

"ALRIGHT, CLASS!" Nikaidou yelled out before tripping and falling on his butt, leaving the class in laughter. He gave a few chuckles, rubbing his head in embarrassment. "Hehe… Well, ehem, since the winter break is just around the corner, Principal Tsukasa has decided that the annual Winter Dance in 2 weeks. Now, we still need a dance committee to plan everything and this year, it's our class's turn to plan the dance. Please sign the sheet on my desk by the end of today if you want to join. We need at least 15 people." This announcement led the class to groan since they knew how much work it was to plan the dance.

"Well, if no one wants to join, I guess I'll just pick randomly." He took out a small glass bowl out of his desk and wrote something on many post-it notes. He crumpled up the noted and dropped them in the bowl. "Everyone has to come up and pick out a note from the bowl. If yours has an X, then you don't have to participate but if it has a check, then you do. Don't open it though until everyone has one."

One by one, each student went up to his desk, hoping to pick an X. Rima was the last one to pick and was surprised to see that there were still two left. She looked at Nikaidou who said, "I wrote checks on 16 post-it notes. If you're lucky, you might still get an X." She stared at the crumpled pieces of paper as if they were challenging her. She narrowed her eyes and slowly dropped her hand inside the bowl before carefully picking one and pulling it out. She went back to her seat feeling worried that she made the wrong decision.

Nikaidou stood up and said "Open your notes."

A chorus of "YES!" and "NO! WHY ME?!" erupted from the students of the star class. But one girl wasn't cheering nor was she complaining. No, Rima was eerily quiet. She looked down at the wrinkled piece of paper in her small hand. Her bangs covered her eyes, creating a shadow on her face. That just added to the dark aura surrounding Rima. Slowly, everyone backed away from her until they reached a wall. The room's temperature had mysteriously dropped. Everyone's blood ran cold as she began to walk over to Nikaidou's desk. She stomped her way to Nikaidou step by step. When she finally reached him, she grabbed his striped tie and pulled him down to her height. At this point, everyone was sweating bullets, even Amu, and Nikaidou desperately needed a new pair of underwear.

"M-Mashiro-san, is there a p-problem?" Nikaidou asked shakily, a worried smile on his face.

No response.

After what seemed like an hour later, Rima answered, "I. Will. Not. Be. In. The. Dance. Committee. Understand?"

Nikaidou gulped and took a deep breath. "Sorry, Mashiro-san, but if you had a check, then you must participate in the dance committee," he said with a brave face, but inside, he was pissing himself.

"Oh, really now?" Rima said with a dark smile. She pulled on Nikaidou's tie and threw him at a wall.

'_WHERE IS SHE GETTING THIS INSANE POWER FROM!?_' everyone was screaming in their minds.

"N-now, Mashiro-san, you wouldn't kill your teacher would you?" Nikaidou asked uncertainly while getting up. The force of the throw left a Nikaidou-sized dent in the wall.

Rima smiled once again. "I would never kill you…," she said. Nikaidou let out a breath of relief before she continued. "Only maim or seriously injure," she finished. (A/N: Points to anyone who can guess where I got that from.)

Nikaidou began to cry and pray that there really was a God out there to save him. All of the students, minus one seriously pissed off blonde and the demon's best friend, huddled together and started to plan their soon-to-be-deceased teacher.

"Well, we should have flowers too," a girl with long, black hair said.

"Hmmm… Calla lilies!" a short brunette exclaimed.

"No! Lavenders," said a girl with thick, round glasses.

"You're both idiots! Everyone knows chrysanthemums are the best!" a girl with braided hair shouted out

These 3 girls continued to fight before the first girl yelled out, "SHUT UP! LET'S ASK, NIKAIDOU!"

The fighting ceased and all of the students turned around to see their teacher in a large crater, bruised and bleeding, with his soul leaving him anime-style. And there right next to him was Rima, brushing herself off before pulling Nikaidou out of the hole then returning to her seat. She glared at Nikaidou before asking, "Do I still have to participate, sen-_sei?" _

Nikaidou gulped and took out his phone. "Can I get an ambulance to Seiyo Middle School as soon as possible?" he said into the phone. Not ten minutes later, a siren was heard and everyone saw the flashing lights. A group of paramedics came into the classroom and lifted Nikaidou onto the gurney.

Everyone gathered around him as he said one last thing being pulled out of the classroom.

"Yes, you do, Mashiro."

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><p><strong>Yume: And that concludes chapter 2! <strong>

**Yuki: Not bad. **

**Yume: I'm glad. But sorry for the crap description of their uniforms.**

**Yuki: So, when's Rima and Nagihiko gonna fu- mphmpphm!**

**Yume: Now, now. This isn't Rated M. You learn too much from Lynn. By the way, Lynn, thanks for helping me pick their outfits. And you know, for helping with the plot. **

**Yuki: We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^**


	3. 3: The First Meeting

**Yume: Alright! I'm back with another chapter!**

**Yuki: Wow. It didn't take you 6 months this time.**

**Yume: Hush, hush. No need to remind anyone. **

**Yuki: Yeah, sure. So Nagihiko comes in this chapter?**

**Yume: Yep! Our purple-headed hero comes in here! **

**Yuki: You're excited.**

**Yume: Duh! Alright, so thanks Airi 65, FreezingSapphire, and Wisteria Blossom for reviewing and congratulations to Airi 65 and FreezingSapphire for guessing the right character!  
><strong>

**Yuki: It was pretty easy.**

**Yume: Still. Oh, and sorry if it's a bit short but really this chapter was just to bring Nagihiko into the story. Now let's get this story started! **

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><p>Rima was twitching in her seat. No, the fact that she couldn't walk home with Amu wasn't bothering her that much anymore. Nope, it was the fact that she was stuck helping the stupid dance committee. Not only that, but the committee was filled with people she didn't know. Turns out that most of the people who got picked got someone else from different classes to go for them. This was against the rules but at this point, the teachers didn't care. There were still a few people from her class but she hated being stuck all alone. And Amu's "helpful words of encouragement" did not help at all.<p>

Xx_Flashback Start_xX

Everyone stared at the empty doorway Nikaidou was just pulled through. They all looked back at Rima and saw her face red and her eyes deadly. As quick as they could, they ran out the classroom. Amu walked towards Rima and put her hand on Rima's shoulder, effectively calming her down. Rima looked up with tear-filled eyes and a pout on her lips. "Amu, why is he so cruel?" Rima asked, her bottom lip quivering. She was the epitome of cuteness.

Amu bit her lip and looked away from the crying girl. '_She's faking. She's just faking. She's faking_,' Amu chanted in her mind. She took a deep breath. "Maa, sorry, Rima. But it can't be too bad. Maybe you'll make a new friend," Amu mused.

Rima sniffled and wiped her eyes before staring up at Amu with teary eyes again. Amu gulped. Rima smirked in her mind. '_My move…_' she thought. "But I want my best friend," she muttered sadly. Amu started sweating slightly while try to resist the urge to volunteer herself for the committee. '_Check, Amu. Your move_,' Rima thought smugly.

"W-well, Rima, I got an X. So I d-don't have to go," Amu stuttered, staring into Rima's honey eyes. They were exactly like honey, leading in bugs to prey on.

"S-so, you don't want to spend time with me?" Rima looked away. She was crying but on the inside, she was dancing in victory. '_Check. One more move till checkmate_,' she cheered.

Amu was about to join the committee when she heard a familiar ring tone from her phone. She couldn't volunteer. She was... busy. "Ah! Sorry, Rima. I have plans with a friend!" Amu yelled before running out of the classroom, leaving behind skid marks and a smoke trail.

Rima glared at the empty doorway her friend fled out off. "The coward forfeited," she said bitterly before grabbing her bag. She heard her phone ring and checked it to see a message. "From the traitor," Rima said, narrowing her eyes. "Just get a fan boy to go for you if you don't wanna do it," Rima read out loud. '_Pfft. Yeah, right. Like I'd be allowed to just let a fan boy go for me_,' Rima thought sarcastically before stomping her way to the room.

Xx_Flashback End_xX

'_And to think,_ _I could've gotten a fan boy to go in for me. Damn…_' Rima muttered in her head. '_I beat up Nikaidou for nothing._' Rima started imagining Nikaidou being hung over the Amazon River where there were hundreds of piranha and began to grin and chuckle darkly, scaring the hell out of everyone.

News of Rima beating up her teacher traveled like a wild fire and soon, everyone knew about what happened to Nikaidou. Everyone was trying to keep their distance. After all, she was grumbling and laughing maliciously to herself. Accompanying the news of her, as she would call it, minor slip-up, this meant Rima was not in a good mood. And whenever a chibi blonde devil wasn't in a good mood, bad things happen. So that's the image that the dance committee captain saw when he entered the classroom, a small girl laughing to herself in the center of the class and everyone trying to stay away from her. '_Wow… I've got a lot of work to do_,' Nagihiko sighed.

"Alright! I want this committee in order. Everyone, get in a seat. No, I don't care if you have to sit next to the pissed off blonde, just sit down," he ordered. "I think we should introduce ourselves and tell a little about what we like so that we know what we're gonna work with. I'll start. My name is Nagihiko Fujisaki. I like playing basketball and dancing. My favorite color is purple. My favorite flowers are sunflowers. My favorite season is spring because that's when the flowers bloom. Okay, you with the blue hair, go."

Each person said their name and a few things about themselves. "Alright, the pissed blonde is next," Nagihiko joked.

Rima glared at him before standing up to say, "My name is Rima Mashiro. I like comedy and planning the deaths of stupid teachers that make me do things I don't want to do. My favorite color is orange. My favorite flowers are snapdragons. My favorite season is winter because… I have no reason."

Rima sat down and Nagihiko stood back up. "Okay, now that we've been acquainted, let's pair up and brainstorm ideas." The classroom was filled with sounds of chairs scraping across the floor, feet shuffling, people talking and girls squealing as they tried to get Nagihiko to be their partner. "I think it will best if I work with Mashiro-san, seeing as no one wants to get near her," Nagihiko said, trying to get away from all his fan girls.

All the disappointed girls dispersed, leaving only one behind. "Aww, alright, Nagi-kun. But if you decide you don't want that bottle-blonde, I'm free," a brownish-redheaded girl that Nagihiko found out was named Saaya Yamabuki said flirtatiously.

Nagihiko laughed awkwardly and started walking away, "I'll be sure to remember that, Yamabuki-san." He walked towards Rima, praying to Kami that she wasn't a fan girl.

And Kami answered his wishes, a bit too much maybe. When Nagihiko walked over to Rima, she pulled him down to her height, seeing as he was a good foot taller than her, and said viciously, "Listen here, pretty boy. I don't want to be here and if anyone bothers me at all, I will make sure they can't produce children in the future, whether they are a girl or a boy."

Nagihiko sweatdropped. Yep, he definitely had his work cut out for him.

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><p><strong>Yume: And that concludes chapter 3! <strong>

**Yuki: Damn, Rima's evil.**

**Yume: Hell hath no fury like a chibi blonde devil pissed off.**

**Yuki: That's not how the quote goes.**

**Yume: Yeah, yeah, sure. **

**Yuki: How childish… We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^**


	4. 4: Becoming Leader

**Yume: Aloha, my little dreamers! **

**Yuki: That's right, she finally wrote another chapter.**

**Yume: A lot of thought and effort goes into this.**

**Yuki: Mhm. Of course. That's what everyone says.**

**Yume: Hmph. Anyway, thanks to oX-Blossom Azalea-Xo (Awesome name by the way) and FreezingSapphire for reviewing. And I don't mean to sound whiny but 2 reviews? Really? You know, I accept anonymous reviews too.**

**Yuki: Way to not sounds whiny or desperate.**

**Yume: Shhhhhhh. Now let's get this story started!**

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><p>"Alright, pretty boy. What do we have to do first?" Rima asked, checking her nails.<p>

Nagihiko stared at her blankly. 'I said we're brainstorming ideas… Was she not paying attention…' he thought to himself. "Well, Mashiro-san, we've paired up to think of themes for the dance."

Rima looked up at him; he was, after all, a good foot taller than her, even sitting. "Alright," Rima said plainly.

"… Do you have any ideas?"

"Nope."

A vein bulged on Nagihiko's forehead. "You didn't even think."

"I don't have to. You're captain. You should figure it out."

"Someone else might have a better idea than me. It's a democracy after all. My way isn't always right."

Rima stayed silent for a bit and Nagihiko thought he won until…

"So they gave the title "captain" to a creativity-lacking idiot?" Rima said in mock astonishment.

Nagihiko stood up, his chair fell from the force, and he started yelling, "YOU KNOW WHAT?!" Everyone in the room turned and saw their calm captain red-faced and ready to commit homicide.

Rima smirked. She had him right where she wanted him. You must be wondering why Rima was being so difficult. It's not because she hated him. No, of course not. If she hated him for no apparent reason, then Rima wouldn't be that rational girl we all know and lo- er… fear. She was being annoying because she knew everyone had a limit. Pretty boy, as she dubbed him, may be patient but everyone has a limit. Apparently, being called stupid was his. Rima leaned back in her chair, waiting for him to kick her out so she can leave.

Unfortunately for Rima, Nagihiko noticed smugness leaking out of her_. 'Oh, so that's the way she's playing. Well, if you want to play, I'll have to show you how it's played.'_

"You are absolutely right. I don't know how I got this job. In fact, since you seem so very sure of yourself, I give my job to you. You, Rima Mashiro, are now the captain!" Nagihiko yelled cheerfully. **(A/N: How many of you saw this coming?) **

Rima twitched. This was _not_ what she wanted.

"As captain, you have to make sure the dance is a complete success," Nagihiko said to her, a smirk making its way onto his face.

"And if I don't?" Rima asked defiantly.

"If you don't, you fail in your class participation and your grade drops two letter grades," Nagihiko answered victoriously.

Rima gaped at him. She could not get a lower grade. Her parents always made sure she was passing. When she was younger, her grades were always A's or B's. But then the fighting started and she couldn't concentrate on school. Her parents stopped helping her and didn't pay attention to her grades. Because of that, she couldn't understand most of the lessons. She wasn't a horrible student but with all the fighting that went on at home, she couldn't get any higher than a C. If she were to drop a couple letter grades, she'd fail then die when her mom found out.

"Problem, Mashiro-san?" Nagihiko asked.

Rima glared at him and said venomously, "Of course not, Fujisaki. But how would the teachers feel if they found out that _I_, of all people, am the new captain?"

"Well, I believe they'd have no problem with that. After all, participating is about a third of your grade. If you were to fail class participation, then wouldn't you fail completely?" Nagihiko asked innocently.

"Yeah, you're rig- wait, how do you know my grades?" Rima stared at him suspiciously.

Now Nagihiko became nervous. You see, Nagihiko is part of the main Fujisaki family, a rich family of performers, athletes and business people. Naturally, Nagihiko being the only son, his parents wanted him to pick a good bride since he was one day going to lead the Fujisaki family and have an heir or heiress. His parents were reasonable though. He had until he was 18 to pick a suitable bride or they would pick for him. So since he was about 12 years old, he's been checking through student profiles of every girl in the school.

He wrote down names of those he were interested in and skipped over those who he wasn't. He's looked through every female student profile in the student body and there was only one person who he wasn't sure of. Rima Mashiro. She was beautiful, that he can admit, but her grades left something to be desired. The strangest thing though is that her grades went from A's to C's before the year even ended. He couldn't decide whether to write down her name or skip her. But that's not the problem. The problem is now he couldn't decide how to answer her question.

"Your grades?" Nagihiko asked anxiously.

"Yeah, my grades. I'm pretty sure no one but me knows them," Rima deadpanned. She wasn't just pretty sure. She was damn sure that, other than her teachers, only she knew her grades. She didn't tell anyone, not even Amu, because her grades were weaknesses that can be used against her, much like her appearance.

"Er… well, uhmm, I was… uhh… walking by Nikaidou-sensei's office and… uhh… I heard him talking to a teacher about a Mashiro with these horrible grades," Nagihiko said with a slight poker face. He had no emotions on his face but on the inside, he was face-palming. '_Are you kidding me? I'm a world-class actor and I can't even improvise… Shame… I disgrace my family…_' Inner Nagi mourned to himself.

Rima's rage swelled up within her again. Normally, she could see this lie from a mile away but, fortunately for Nagihiko, she was already extremely pissed at Nikaidou and was walking on thin ice with him. And right now, the ice just broke, plunging Rima into the freezing depths of ice, cold, vengeful anger.

"I… see…" Rima whispered.

Now Nagihiko was even more nervous. He wasn't quite sure if he would've been better off just telling the truth. "Ehm… So Mashiro-san, are you a-alright with this?" Nagihiko stuttered. He was expecting the worst but instead…

"Yup! It sounds like fun!" Rima exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. Everyone took a few steps back. What was worse, cruel Rima or happy Rima?

"Uhh… Okay then. So what do you think we should do for the dance?"

"Well, everyone likes snow here so maybe we should do a Winter Wonderland of sorts," Rima wondered aloud. "There could be fake snow everywhere and we could set it up like a winter forest filled with icy trees and maybe we can make some sort of frozen lake to ice skate with. It should be cold enough for the water to freeze if we just dig a hole for it."

Everyone was stunned. Their ideas consisted of a white room with music, an air-conditioned room with fairy lights, and a beautiful winter princess who marries the handsome winter prince, Nagihiko (This was Saaya's idea). No one thought anything remotely close to that and the idea was great! Their budget could afford it and it was simple enough to set it up by themselves. It was absolutely genius!

"Wow, Mashiro-san! That's a brilliant idea!" Nagihiko said shocked.

"Well, it happens every now and then," she answered cheerfully.

Everyone took another step back. She was way too happy and she just ignored the blatant insult to her imagination.

"Mashiro-san?" a random boy in the room asked, wanting to test something.

"Yes?" Rima replied with a grin.

"Why are blondes so annoying?" he asked hesitantly.

"It might have something to do with the light color of the hair. Light color, light head," Rima answered. This really freaked out a lot of people since, normally, she would kill you for saying something like that. Most people thought that she had a change of heart. Nagihiko, however, knew she was up to something and high-tailed it out of there. Everyone else just shrugged and ignored the scared, purple-haired teen. Now, they were insulting her to see her reaction.

"You're short!"

"Your hair's too frizzy!"

"You look like a Chucky doll that has make-up!"

For every single one of these calls, Rima just smiled and smiled. Soon, they ran out of ideas and were laughing and giving each other high-fives for their creative insults.

"Are you guys finished?" Rima cheerfully asked.

"Yeah, we had our fun," one of the boys answered. Suddenly, everyone felt a chill. They heard a lock click and turned to Rima.

"Well, I'm glad," she turned around and everyone saw the reason for their deaths. "Because you aren't leaving this classroom until I'm not angry… And I'm pretty angry right now."

The screams could be heard from blocks away and Nagihiko shivered, knowing Rima would come after him as well. But for now, he's safe from the tiny terror.

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><p><strong>Yume: And that concludes chapter 4! <strong>

**Yuki: Rima is so violent…**

**Yume: Yep. She's a damn good actress too.**

**Yuki: Ha! Nagihiko's such a wuss, running away.**

**Yume: Like you haven't done it. *Rolls eyes*** **We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^**


	5. 5: New Boy, New Bother

**Yume: Alright, my little dreamers! I have returned with another chapter of "Take It Out On Me"!**

**Yuki: Yes, she is back and probably worse than ever. This isn't her best chapter, I'm afraid.**

**Yume: Shaddup, dude. Alright, guys, sorry for missing my once a month deadline but someone *cough*Yuki*cough* needed a lot of help with a homework assignment. But here's the next chapter!**

**Yuki: Okay, thanks to Josephine Dark, kwiluvu, SandraStar66, and Airi 65 for reviewing. Hey, Yume! Your begging actually worked. You managed to get 4 reviews!**

**Yume: … Thanks, I guess. And Airi-chan, this chapter's for you! Now let's get this story started!**

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><p>Rima wiped off the blood on her knuckles on her handkerchief. She sighed dreamily and said, "Nothing better than revenge on a rainy day." She got out her umbrella and headed home, leaving what seemed to be a battlefield behind.<p>

"Rima! Rima! Where are you?!" Kaen screamed. Rima turned around and saw her mother frantically running around in the rain. She looked as if she'd been in the rain for hours and Rima wondered why. "Rima! Where did you go?!"

It dawned on Rima that she never actually told her parents that she was in an afterschool program. "Mama! I'm right here! I'm fine, Mama, honest," Rima ran to her mother who enveloped her in a warm and wet hug.

"Oh, my Rima. Where were you? You didn't come home. Your father and I were worried sick," Kaen scolded her daughter.

Rima gave a bright grin. "Oh, I'm the Dance Committee. I was just… making some friends," Rima answered slyly.

Kaen looked at her daughter's eyes that were glinting with mischief and decided it wasn't worth it. With an exasperated sigh, she said, "Well, alright then. At least you're safe. So are there any boys in the committee?"

Rima's face turned a bright scarlet. "W-why would you ask that?"

"Oh, just wondering. By the look on your face, I'd say that I was right. So, is he cute?"

Rima turned an even brighter shade of red. "I don't know what you're talking about. There's no one."

Kaen raised an eyebrow at her blushing child. "Alright, but when your father finds out, no one in the city will be safe."

**Xx_The Next Day in Seiyo High_xX**

Rima was grudgingly walking to Seiyo. "Stupid mom and her stupid 'woman's intuition'…" she grumbled as she stomped towards the gate where Amu was waiting.

"Hey, Rima," Amu called out. She was about to run over but stopped after getting a good look at the blonde. "Why do you look so… dead?"

Rima had yet to come out of her zombie-like trance and hadn't realized that her best friend was right next to her. "Stupid late night chats about boys and 'how to be prepared'…" Rima kept muttering as she walked passed Amu and into the building.

"R-Rima! What's up with the ignoring?" Amu asked while following the blonde.

Rima seemed to have snapped out of her sleep and turned around, casting a tired gaze onto Amu. "Oh, hey Amu," Rima said, finally realizing her friend was there. "When did you get here?" She stretched and rubber her eyes like a kitten after waking up from a nap. Amu had to resist from hugging the adorable girl.

"I've been here for ten minutes, Rima," Amu answered.

The tiny girl blinked. "Oh. Hi."

Amu chuckled. "Hi to you too. So what's with the face?"

"My mom's been bugging me about… stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"The kind that's not any of your business," Rima snapped.

Amu held her hands up in defense. "Alright, alright," she mused. The odd pair started walking towards their classroom. Today, Amu was sporting a dark crimson blazer rather than the usual black. She had her hair down, spiked in a very punk manner, and was catching the attention of every person they walked past. It was days like this when Rima almost hated having Amu as a best friend. She was everything Rima wasn't- cool, tall, confident yet just vulnerable enough not to seem too perfect. She felt horrible for feeling this way but sometimes she wished that Amu was like the Amu she had met in 5th grade. The one who was too scared to be her real self. For once, Rima wanted to be the stronger one of the two but that just never happened. "Rima, c'mon! We're gonna be late! Why'd you stop walking?!"

Rima blinked twice. She looked at Amu and noticed that she was almost 10 feet away from her. "Oh, sorry. I just got lost in my thoughts," Rima answered back, still quite dazed.

"Well, we should hurry up unless we want Nikaidou to show up again." But speak of the devil and the devil shall appear.

"HIMAMORI~" Both girls turned around to see their odd teachers running right at them. They both let out a shriek and jumped out of his way. "HURRY! DON'T BE LATE OR ELSE THAT'S A DETENTION FOR YOU!"

"Oh, God, not again…" they both mumbled and began running after the hyperactive man.

** Xx_Take It Out On Me_xX**

"Alright, class!" Nikaidou said brightly. The entire class groaned. He was way too happy in the morning. "It seems that our very own Rima Mashiro has come up with the theme for our Winter Dance. Let's give her a round of applause!"

Everyone clapped very weakly while Rima slid down her seat, silently hoping to die. '_Oh my manga, why?_' Rima thought to herself.

"Now I would like to welcome a student that you may know. He's from a different class but his parents asked for him to be moved to another class," Nikaidou announced. Rima's eyes widened and she slowly turned her head to the door. She began leaning towards it, hoping that it wasn't who she was thinking of. And it wasn't. "Alright, you can come in."

Suddenly, a boy's head popped into the classroom through the door. He had light brown hair styled into what seemed to be a rooster-tail type of hairdo. Seeing as Rima was right in front of the door- Nikaidou had moved her seat to the front of the room so that she couldn't plan things out in the back-, the head scared the hell out of her. She fell back and shrieked, but not before slapping the boy in the face. The entire class erupted in laughter as they stared at the red-faced Rima on the ground and the shocked boy with a red handprint on his face. **(A/N: How many of you thought it was Nagi? Hehe, c'mon. I'm not that cliché.)**

"… Is this the right class?" the boy finally said after a minute of being frozen. He walked into the classroom, rubbing his face.

"Yep! Kirishima-kun, meet your new classmates for the rest of your year," Nikaidou chirped cheerfully.

Kirishima scanned the crowd and stared at the blonde who had slapped him. She was getting off the ground when she looked up to see him staring at her. She stared back and they continued to do so for several uncomfortable minutes. Well, more uncomfortable for everyone else than them. Suddenly, Rima said, "What're you looking at, rooster-head?"

Kirishima flushed a deep red and muttered, "Huh? Oh, n-nothing." He then turned to the class and said, "Hello, my name is Fuyuki Kirishima. It's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled at each of them before glancing at Rima and blushing once more.

Rima rolled her eyes. '_Great, another fan boy_,' she thought.

Nikaidou watched as Kirishima stared at Rima before coming up with a brilliant idea. With a devious smirk on his face, he said," Welcome to the class, Kirishima-kun! I do hope you enjoy your stay here. To make sure you're completely comfortable, I think you should have a buddy to help you out!" Rima narrowed her eyes; she already knew what he was planning. He smirked at her and exclaimed, "Mashiro! You're his new buddy! Please treat him kindly!"

Kirishima watched as the blonde cracked her knuckles before sighing. "Alright, I'll do it…" she reluctantly agreed. She looked up at Kirishima once again. "Don't make me regret doing this, rooster head," she threatened before dragging him to the seat next to her and sitting down in her own.

'_This is going to be a long year…_' they both thought.

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><p><strong>Yume: And that concludes chapter 5! <strong>

**Yuki: Again, not your best.**

**Yume: Yes, but not my worst! Some drama's gonna be going on with Kirishima involved.**

**Yuki: Yay, I cannot wait.**

**Yume: You could be a bit more excited, you dweeb. **

**Yuki: I could but I won't. ****We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^**


	6. 6: Weird Clouds and Jealousy

**Yume: GOMEN! **

**Yuki: You promised you wouldn't ever do this again.**

**Yume: Well, it's only been two months. Last time was six.**

**Yuki: That doesn't make it much better. **

**Yume: I know, I know. I'm sorry for taking so long but here's the chapter! It's kind of filler but it leads up to a few very important events.**

**Yuki: Yeah, yeah. They can't wait much longer.**

**Yume: You're right. Let me just say thanks to xHibiki, Airi-chan, and Azuky-Bunny for reviewing and extra thanks to Airi-chan for putting up with me.**

**Yuki: That's one less than before.**

**Yume: Hush, hush. Now let's get this story started!**

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><p>Rima began tapping her pencil onto her notebook. This was a completely subconscious move but Nagihiko didn't care. The tapping was annoying him so much. "Mashiro-san, can you please stop that?" he all but begged.<p>

She stared at him blankly. "Sorry, purple head. If you don't like it, you shouldn't have asked me to eat lunch with you," she answered nonchalantly before looking away and tapping even louder.

Nagihiko's eye was twitching; he was sure of it. '_Only_ _half an hour more, Nagihiko. Then you're free. 30 more minutes and you can leave the blonde and go shoot a basket or something. 30 more minutes…_' Nagihiko watched the girl tap while eating her rice ball. '_So not worth it…_' he thought to himself while digging into his lunch.

The two sat in silence, not counting the tapping, before Rima spoke up. "So why'd you wanna see me anyway, grape hat?"

"I thought it would be wise to discuss your plans for the dance, _captain_."

Rima shot a glare at him. "Well, do you still think it is?" She started tapping faster and louder and it took Nagihiko all his self-control not to break the damn pencil.

"Yes," he answered bitingly. "It would be best if we discussed in now so that we don't have such a huge workload after school."

Rima pondered on that. '_If we don't have much to do after school, then I could probably ask Amu to wait a bit._' "I suppose you're right."

Nagihiko's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "I'm… right…?"

"Yep."

He stared at her for a few minutes, wondering who the hell switched out Rima for this girl. "Alright… Well, then. How much do you think everything would cost in total?"

_Tap, tap, tap_. "You know I'm not good at math."

"Well, any ideas on where we can get everything?"

_Tap, tap, tap_. "I'm pitching ideas, not advertising."

"Do you know _anything_?"

_Tap, tap, crick_!

Rima stared at the two halves of her pencil that landed on the floor. She then looked back at Nagihiko, who looked extremely disheveled, and smirked. "Apparently, I know how to annoy you."

Nagihiko's eye twitched. His sanity was hanging by a thin, little thread and she had scissors. He sighed. There was really no way to work with this girl. "Look, Mashiro-san. I'm tired, confused and going insane," he pleaded. "Can you please help me here?"

Rima took in the bags under his eyes, blemishing his otherwise perfect complexion. '_This dance must be really important to him…_' she thought. "Alright, I'm sorry. I really don't know what I'm doing her. I didn't want to be part of this stupid committee in the first place!"

"I know you didn't. The whole school knows actually. We all heard about the…" he trailed off when he saw the intensity of her glare. "Incident?"

"Yes, that's what it was. Continue."

"Alright, so we heard about the incident. Honestly, I don't mind if you don't work with us. I promise I won't tell," he gave her a tired smile. He would never tell anyone, mainly because he had a reputation of being a gentleman, but he was only saying this because he hoped she would agree. He doesn't mind her so much but it was hell working with her.

Rima stared at his exhausted expression guiltily before sighing. "No, no. I promised I would help so I will." She slouched her back and thought, '_Damn it, when did I grow a conscience?_'

Nagihiko nearly cursed out loud. "No, I'm serious. It's alright." He stared at her with a hard look, daring her to disagree.

She raised a brow at his expression. He looked like a constipated raccoon with an eye twitch. "No, I'm serious. I'll stay and help."

"No, you should do whatever else you want to."

"I already promised I would do it."

"No one cares if you break it."

"I would. I'd feel bad."

"Who knew you had a conscience?"

"That's what I thought- Hey, wait a minute!" Her face reddened with anger. Nagihiko just laughed at her tomato-like face. "Just accept the fact that I'm helping you, purple head."

Nagihiko knew that this was going nowhere. Whether he liked it or not, she was "helping" him. He didn't even bother answering her that time. He laid back on the grass and stared up at the sky. The white clouds swirled around against a pale blue sky. It almost looked angry. He followed the chaos of clouds with his eyes, wondering what was upsetting the sky.

Rima noticed his troubled expression and looked up at the sky. Her eyes widened. The clouds were moving around restlessly. It looked crazy and chaotic but at the same time, it was graceful? The quick, sharp movements of the clouds were like a passionate but unrehearsed tango. How could clouds move in such a manner?

If they weren't so preoccupied by the odd patterns of the clouds, they would have noticed a shady figure entering the schoolyard and hiding behind a tree to watch them. If they weren't so busy staring at the sky, they would have heard the figure whisper, "The trap is set. Begin readying for the main event." Sadly, they weren't paying attention and the figure slipped away into the shadows of the school.

"Well, that's weird," Rima broke the silence. Nagihiko jumped slightly before stretching out his limbs.

"Yeah, really weird," he continued to stretch and try to regain feeling in his arms. "Shall we go? Our classes have free periods next. We can go plan a bit more." He put out his hand to help the short girl up and she took it.

"Actually, I have plans next block," she brushed off some dirt from her skirt and picked up her bag.

"Let's see. We could find out where to get the fake snow and how to make the rink and… wait, did you just say you had plans?" Nagihiko whirled around to face her. "We still have so much to do!"

Rima shrugged. "I didn't actually think you'd ask to work more. I have to get to know the new student in class," her eyes narrowed slightly when she remembered how her new classmate acted around her. She really did not want to hang around a fanboy-in-the-making.

"Can't you just help her during class or tomorrow? I mean, you two are in the same class," Nagihiko groaned in frustration.

"Well, no. I made another promise, something I really have to stop doing," Rima grumbled quietly. "Later." She began walking towards the school and away from the annoyed boy who began walking to the other side of the school. "Oh, and it's a guy."

This stopped Nagihiko in his tracks. Rima Mashiro was about to spend time with a boy voluntarily. Well, she doesn't really want to do it but he didn't know that. He felt a weird churning in his stomach and he unconsciously clenched his fists. '_Why is Rima hanging out with a boy from her class? From what I heard, she doesn't like anyone but that pink haired girl,'_ he thought bitterly. His eyebrows furrowed and he began to glare at a tree. Then he realized what he was doing. He relaxed his fists and stopped taking his anger out on the tree. _'Wait, what am I thinking? I don't care about what she does.'_ He began walking to his next class once more but he couldn't shake away that strange feeling he had in his gut.

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><p><strong>Yume: And that concludes chapter 6!<strong>

**Yuki: That's actually not bad. The cloud part was weird though.**

**Yume: It's symbolic.**

**Yuki: It's not possible.**

**Yume: Shut up, Yuki. **

**Yuki: Nah, I don't think so. We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^**


	7. 7: Chess: A Mind Game

**Yume: Aloha! **

**Yuki: You've been gone three months…**

**Yume: I have a reason! I updated Red Fate… then got too lazy to update anything else. I had started this a long time ago but I couldn't get myself to finish.**

**Yuki: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Reasons.**

**Yume: Shush, mate. I've been too obsessed with Sherlock and Doctor Who. Anyone agree?**

**Yuki: Okay, before you get sidetracked, thanks to Airi-chan, 15 fallen angel, charliesunshine, and Day1Directioner for reviewing.**

**Yume: Mhm. *nods erratically* Now let's get this story started!**

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><p>Rima casually walked into the semi-empty classroom. Since it was a free period, most of the students were out of the classroom. It didn't take her very long to find the boy she was searching for. Kirishima was sitting at his desk, staring out a window. He had a chess set out and was absentmindedly playing with a pawn.<p>

Rima stiffly shuffled over to the dazed boy. She coughed once to get his attention but he was busy staring at the clouds. She coughed again, to no avail. A vein popped out of her forehead, much like it would in an anime. "Oi! Are you awake?" she all but yelled at the poor boy.

Kirishima jumped in surprise before falling out of his chair. He groaned in pain and rubbed his aching side. "What the hell…" he trailed off before looking up at the amused blonde. He chuckled lightly before getting up and greeting her. "Sorry about that, Mashiro-san. I guess I was just a bit dazed."

"A bit?" she questioned.

His face flushed slightly. "Well, a lot."

Rima nodded her head. She glanced over to the chess set in front of her. "So… what's up with the game?" she said, gesturing over to the board.

"Oh, well. I know that you're supposed to show me around but I've already familiarized myself with the school," he explained. He got back onto his seat and she sat down as well. "I thought a game of chess would be a fun way to get to know each other."

Rima raised a brow. "Really? The silent game of the mind is a fun way to get to know each other?"

Kirishima flushed again. "I mean, it's true. We won't really be talking but I thought it would be…" he trailed off once more and looked away from the blonde's gaze.

Rima sighed once before moving her pawn up two spaces. "I might as well." She smirked at the sheepish boy. "Your turn."

He gave a relieved sigh. Hopefully, she didn't think he was a complete moron just yet. He smiled at her as he countered her move. Soon, they were both invested in a rousing game of chess. Every move was well-thought-out and countered equally as well. Their minds were working on overdrive as they tried to predict moves that were one, two, three steps ahead.

The two played in complete silence for all their concentration was put towards the game. It was like a dance, a complex dance in which each partner had to know what the other was thinking or be left behind. Rima moved her bishop to check the king. "Check," she muttered, her eyes not longer indifferent but rather, calculating.

Kirishima took in the board and its pieces. He thought of every possible move and decided against each one. A smirk slowly made its way onto Rima's face as Kirishima had no option but to back his king away in defense. "Out of moves?" she asked smugly.

Kirishima glanced up at her in a manner that gave her goosebumps. "Of course not," his answer was simple and misleading. The smirk fell right off of Rima's face as she realized he had a plan. She had a queasy feeling in her stomach; she thought she had been ahead the entire game but had she actually been left behind?

Rima made her move. It was no longer thought-out; her anxious feeling made it hard for her to think and she moved for the sake of moving. Kirishima's face stayed completely blank; it was the face of an assassin- cold and unfeeling. He stared at the board with analytical eyes before leaning back on his seat. He used his knight to get close to Rima's king. She quickly backed her king away in defense, thinking that this was Kirishima's plan. She was wrong. The second she moved the king away, he revealed his true plan and captured her queen with a rook. She stared at the board, not even realizing what just happened.

At this point, she was too shocked to play. She moved her pieces as if she was just on auto-pilot. Kirishima made quick work of the rest of her pieces and soon enough, she was beaten. "Checkmate," Kirishima said to her. She sighed and accepted her loss.

"Well, that was a good game, at least. Don't you agree?" she asked, looking up at him. They made eye-contact and she froze. The cold, calculating look hadn't left his eyes; if anything, it increased. She felt as if he was looking into her, not just at her. It was like he could see her thoughts, her dreams, her fears. He was reading her like a book and she was right on display.

She tried to speak up but her throat was oddly dry and she couldn't manage anything but a cough. It seemed that it was enough to get through to Kirishima.

The unnerving gaze quickly warmed and within a few seconds, it was as if it had never happened. "Sorry, Mashiro-san. Is something wrong?" he questioned. The warmth was back and it really was like nothing happened but Rima knew what she saw; she had had too many nightmares about it.

"N-no, there's nothing wrong. I j-just need some fresh air. Yeah, that's it," she quickly spit out. She backed away from the taller boy. He just came a bit closer.

"You look pale, Mashiro-san. Are you sure you aren't sick or something?" he asked. He laid his hand on her forehead but she quickly shook him off and ducked from under his hold to get closer to the door.

"I s-said that I'm f-fine. I'm just not a good loser," she stammered out. She needed to get away from him and soon. He looked like a nice boy but there was something there that scared her.

Kirishima looked at her with something akin to worry. "Well, if that's it, then maybe you should just get some fresh air," he said. "Your face is really red; you're like a tomato."

Rima suddenly became extremely aware of the blush on her cheeks. She had to get away soon or else, she'd start crying. "Yeah, bad little habit. I thought I'd get over that."

He smiled at her but it was strained. "We still have 10 minutes left in this block. I could accompany you."

"No!" Rima quickly yelled out before she could stop herself. Kirishima's eyes dimmed a bit but she quickly explained. "I'd rather be alone. It's easier to get over it. I'll be back soon."

The light returned to his eyes and he nodded. Slowly, Rima turned around and headed out the door. She could hear Kirishima playing with the chess pieces and when she looked back, he was. But then, why did she have the sinking feeling that someone was glaring at her?

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><p><strong>Yume: And that concludes chapter 7!<strong>

**Yuki: *slow claps* Congratulations on actually managing to update.**

**Yume: I know right! Haha!**

**Yuki: I was being sarcastic *rolls eyes* We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^**


	8. 8: Children For Just A Moment

**Yume: *cough* Hey, guys. **

**Yuki: YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES. **

**Yume: I have plenty! They're just not very good ones. **

**Yuki: *rolls eyes* That's the same thing.**

**Yume: I'd appreciate it if you shut the hell up please. Thank you. Little Dreamers, I'm sorry for the year-long hiatus, but I am back! And better than ever! I've practiced my writing with a few short stories here and there and I am back with a special chapter for you guys! It's nearly 2000 words!**

**Yuki: Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and thank your reviewers. **

**Yume: I was getting to that. Geez. Thanks to PandaPuppet, Airi-chan as always, and****Jinja-chanlovesRimahikoAmuto****! And of course to all of you for being so patient with me! Now, let's get this story started!**

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><p>Nagihiko trudged home after a long, long day. Hiding from fangirls during his break was hard work. A yawn escaped his mouth and he realized just how tired he was. "Ugh," he moaned to no one in particular, "Today was just horrible."<p>

He continued his tired march home, not even minding that he was talking to himself at this point. He didn't care if he looked insane; he was just done with the day and wanted to go home and relax. He must have seemed like a zombie to anyone that passed him, which were the exact thoughts of a young lady that bumped into him.

"Oh, crap," he murmured. "Sorry."

She raised an eyebrow at him, as he didn't recognize her right away. "Is that any way to greet your loving sister?" she taunted.

This caught his attention. "Sister…" he trailed off, finally looking up. Standing right in front of him was his older sister, Nadeshiko, in all her glory. "Nade-nee-san!"

She giggled at his nickname for her. "There's the Nagi I know," she responded, pulling him into a quick hug before letting him go.

"What are you doing here, Nee-san?" he asked curiously.

She wasn't wearing the usual kimono that she usually does when she performs, which meant she didn't just come back nor was she going to a recital. Her hair wasn't up in a bun with the traditional ornaments. She looked extremely casual with her lavender pea coat and a pair of black jeans, and her hair in a loose ponytail.

He noticed the shine in her eyes dim a bit when she registered the question, but thought nothing of it. "Oh, just visiting my favourite little brother, of course," she exclaimed happily, grabbing his hand in a tight hold and pulling her towards their house.

Nagihiko laughed at his sister's antics, allowing himself to be tugged away by the shorter girl. "Okay, seriously, though. Why are you here?" he asked once more.

She turned her head back to glare at him playfully while walking. "Do you not want me here, Nagi?" she teased.

"No, no! Of course not!" he immediately answered. "I'm happy you're here! Just confused. I thought you had a tour going on."

Her smile faltered and recovered before Nagihiko could say anything. "Oh, that? That ended a while back." She laughed a bit but it sounded hollow to Nagihiko.

It was clear to him that something was wrong with his sister and it had something to do with her tour. He thought back to when she told him that she was going on tour. It was two years ago. He was twelve and she was sixteen, when she grabbed his hand abruptly and dragged him to the family theater a few blocks from their house. She pulled him up on stage with her and forced him to be her dance partner, and for a few hours, they had a grand time being brother and sister. When it was all over, she sat down and he followed suit. That's when she told him about a tour that would keep her away from him for at least three years.

He wasn't happy about it; how can you be happy about losing your best friend and confidante? When he was stressed or felt like everything in the world was against him, he always went to Nadeshiko because she just had this way of making things better. She would always let him rest his head on her lap while she played with his long hair. "It's much silkier than mine. It's more like you're my sister than my brother," she'd always say and he'd laugh and things would get better.

Hearing that she would be gone for three years was horrifying, but he knew how much she loved to dance. He knew how long she practiced and how much criticism she received from their father for screwing up, but it never stopped her. He knew how much she wanted this, so he smiled and told her that he was happy for her. The next day, she was gone.

Nagihiko shook his thoughts away as he returned to the present. Nadeshiko didn't seem to have noticed that he spaced out as she tugged him forward in a comfortable silence. '_Whatever the problem is, we can talk about it later,_' Nagihiko decided. '_I just want to spend some time with my sister._'

The two continued to walk the seemingly-endless path to their house. It was a beautiful evening. The sun had set hours ago, and in its place was the brilliant, glowing moon. The dark, night sky was sprinkled with stars, each one shining brighter than the last. The faded clouds were lazily moving, tired from the long day. The leaves in the trees shook as the gentle wind danced through them. It was truly a magical sight and both teenagers felt the need to keep quiet as if sound would break the magic.

Slowly, the larger-than-average house came into view. The Fujisaki estate was a vast plot of land surrounded by a tall cement wall. The wall itself had intricate designs engraved along the top and bottom. The opening of the wall was a large, metal gate. It was well-cared for, not a bit of rust on it.

Nadeshiko let go of Nagihiko's hand and pushed the gate open, sighing softly when it didn't creak. She turned her head and smiled at her brother, who smiled back. They walked in, not forgetting to close the gate, and headed towards the door of their house.

It was a traditional Japanese home, with light white walls and wooden floors. The roof was layered with cracked tiles of a faded teal. It was a majestic, if not intimidating home, but the true beauty was in the scene around it.

Leading to the house from the gate was a textured stone path that used stones of many different colors. Had it been spring or summer, flowers would be sprouting to line the path, but for now, it was just green moss. Trees were standing everywhere, all without leaves due to the cold, but it didn't take away from the beauty of it. Through the net of clumped branches, one could easily see the stars shimmering in the sky shine through.

Nearby, there was a koi pond, surrounded by a rock structure. If it weren't winter, water would have flowed from the rocks, creating a small waterfall. However, the cold air just froze the water, coating the rocks with ice and frost, making them shine as they reflected the moon's gleam. The dark gleam of the rocks contrasted heavily with the light shine of the fish swimming peacefully underneath the thin layer

All in all, it was a sight to behold, not that Nagihiko ever paid much attention to it. He lived in this majestic place, so it had lost its effect on him. However, today, it seemed especially magical. Nagihiko decided that it was due to his sister being back. Her presence seemed to bring everything back to life. Even the trees seemed to be leaning towards her. He was shocked at how different everything seemed with her around.

"You coming, Nagi?" Her voice invaded his thoughts and he found that he was left at the entrance of the gate with her waiting by the door.

"What? Oh, right." He quickly walked up to her and smiled sheepishly. She just giggled in reply and opened the door.

"I'm home!" they yelled in unison, leading them to laugh again. Their laughter bounced off the walls off the dark hall, unheard. The huge house was empty, as usual. Seeing as their parents were worth millions, they were always busy and rarely ever home. This didn't bother either teenager. They grew up relying on themselves and each other; they are all they will ever need.

Nagihiko decided to take the first steps in and flicked the lights on, hoping to bring some life into the dreary house. From his spot in front of the light switch, he jumped backwards a couple feet and sank into the couch. "Ah, this is the life," he moaned out in lazy pleasure before shutting his eyes and bringing his arms up behind his head.

He heard his sister laugh at him and opened one eye lazily to peer at her. "Is something wrong, nee-san?" he questioned.

She smirked before sitting on his stomach. His eyes flew open at the weight and he grunted in discomfort. "My baby brother's just a lazy ass. That's all." She shifted in her position, making sure to put all her weight on his poor stomach. He groaned.

"And my sister's a fat ass," he muttered under his breath.

She glared at him before jumping on his stomach. "What was that, you brat?"

He just groaned weakly.

Another jump. "What was that?"

Groan. "Nothing, your majesty."

Smirk. "That's what I thought."

Shove. Thump. "I can finally breathe."

Nadeshiko got up from her spot on the floor and Nagihiko just glanced at her annoyed expression before shutting his eyes again. When he shut his eyes, her gaze softened and she sat down on the loveseat next to the couch, watching her sleepy brother. In a few minutes, his breathing evened out and soft snores began to fill the air.

She smiled at his sleeping figure. He looked much younger than he did when she first saw him. He looked stressed earlier, like he hadn't slept in days. He was sluggish and moody, nothing more than a zombie heading home. He looked like a boy who was forced to grow up too quickly, and she knew that he was. He was trained from a young age to be the best in the business – every business – but as the heir of the Fujisaki line, he was expected to be responsible, mature and more than a fourteen-year old should be. But hearing her nickname once more reminded her that this tired zombie was her sweet, little brother, the one that made her do acting exercises with him and never complained when she dressed him up in girly kimonos.

Seeing him look so innocent and childlike again brought back memories of her childhood. She remembered laughing and smiling, being happy. She loved dancing and her tour – her heart clenched at the thought – but she loved her brother much more and she hated herself for leaving him behind. He brought out the best in her. He made her laugh and cry, just like a little brother should.

She knew she had to tell him what happened with her tour but decided to save it for later. '_I'll tell him after he gets some rest_,' she thought to herself before succumbing to the peaceful numbness of sleep as well.

It was a heart-warming sight. The moon covered the household in its light, protecting them from nightmares. The gentle wind sang for them and the trees swayed in a dance they wouldn't see. And the siblings? They were able to be what they should be: two children being children.

Even for just a moment.

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><p><strong>Yume: And that concludes chapter 8!<strong>

**Yuki: I am very impressed. Nice imagery. **

**Yume: Thanks! **

**Yuki: Too bad it took a year.**

**Yume: Okay, I'd appreciate it if you would stick your snide comments up your–**

**Yuki: **Nope! No rude language here. So let's wrap it up.****

****Yume: Wait! Before anything else, I'd like to thank you guys for sticking by me, even though I'm so crap at updating. I will try harder to update. Also, I have a Twitter account that I plan to use for fanfiction. I'll be tweeting about stories I've read, possible plots for new stories and the progress of my chapters as I write them! Please find and follow me on Twitter. My username is TheYumeTsumetai and I go by the name Yuko Tsumetai. ****

**Yuki: Well, if you're done with that shameless self-promotion... ****We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^**


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